Bases
by Kryalla Orchid
Summary: It's kind of hard when the Boy Wonder's Tamaranian girlfriend has a different set of bases than he does. Teenage awkwardness abounds. Complete.
1. First

_**Disclaimer**:__ I don't own the Titans. They belong to DC and Warner Bros._

**_Broken record moment:_**_ Aussie, spelling, slang, word usage is all different._

_**Author's Note:**_

_So, as you can guess, this is based on the American concept of the various stages of intimacy. We don't use the concept of 'Bases' in Australia (as far as I know), since we're not terribly big baseball fans. (C'mon, some of us still use the word 'pashing' for making out.)_

_Before you go and tell me that my bases are wrong, I have checked a lot of sites regarding this, and they're all different. You can't even make up your own minds. And yes, I asked Katergator and Star of Airdrie, and you know what? Both of them had different opinions on it._

_As pulled from Wiki:_

_**First base**__ - mouth to mouth kissing, especially open mouth ("French") kissing involving the tongue.  
><strong>Second base<strong>__ - aggressive stimulation between the neck and waist, usually shirtless or under the shirt.  
><strong>Third base<strong>__ - manual or oral stimulation of the genitalia.  
><strong>Home run (Fourth base)<strong>__ - the act of penetrative intercourse._

_That's the model I used. Don't like it, tough._

_So, yeah. They'll be four chapters to this; I think you can guess the names. I'm still contemplating on the final chapter and how descriptive I want to be. Also, I do play on Starfire being an alien a lot more than I usually do. I've wanted to do this for a while, thought it would be better now than later.  
><em>

_**Big fat warning:**__ Candid conversation of a sexual nature. Mild language. ADULT CONTENT. Rated M accordingly. Very little actual plot involved in this one._

_** If you are underage, you should not be reading this!** I will not be your sexual education hotline. I don't mind imparting some knowledge but this is not like my other stories where there's plot and other things going on and you can skip over the naughty bits if you want.  
><em>

_ Seriously, if I see anyone fifteen and under faving this, I will pull the story. I'll go post it on Literotica or something and amp up the M rating. I do try to keep things clean, but c'mon.  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>First.<strong>

There's no misunderstanding that Robin and Starfire's first _kiss_ was in Tokyo. It was raining, he blundered, she basically told him to shut up and the whole world seemed to spin as their lips finally met.

Hitting first base was a different matter.

See, the problem, not that Robin could blame her for this, was that Starfire really didn't understand a kiss. Not really. Lip contact and the fact that it meant more to a human, yeah, she grasped that concept quite quickly, especially since she was the one who essentially opened Robin's eyes to the fact that they _could_ be kissing. Unfortunately for Robin, that was about the extent of her knowledge.

They weren't running short on affection. She liked holding his hand. She liked to snuggle in his arms as they watched movies. He loved to spar with her. They loved to cuddle. But she had no clue about the different sorts of kisses.

Mind you, he did understand she wouldn't know there were different sorts. Romance movies were in short supply in the Tower, three guys and Raven that absolutely refused to watch them. They mostly watched horror or action, the types of movies that if they had kissing, there were no real close ups of people's mouths, or prolonged lip contact. Even if they had sex, it was sort of in a darkened room, where their mouths were hidden and only silhouettes shown. And it wasn't as though Starfire could spy on other couples to see the different sorts.

She thought they were all the quick pressing of her lips to his, a hello, a goodbye, a small show of human affection.

Small, being the operative word. Kissing Starfire was always very short. Too short for Robin's liking. Sometimes he got a longer kiss from her, but it was still basically innocent. At least she didn't say 'muah' or pucker her lips up like a child would. It was always sort of at the end of a movie. Or as they passed each other in the hallway. And while that had been alright for a while, since he really wasn't into public displays of affection and the little pecks were fine around the other Titans, it was now becoming problematic. He wanted more.

However, the very first time he managed to detain her for a lengthier kiss, her lips yielding to increased pressure and parting, as he licked her lips with his tongue, she recoiled like he'd hit her.

Her eyes wide, he couldn't tell what emotion was running through her, horror, fear or disgust, because it certainly wasn't curiosity. She placed the tips of her fingers to her lips and looked at him. "Robin?"

He went red. "Um…"

"You… ahh… I do not understand."

"Err…"

"Is it normal for humans to try to eat their partners?"

His eyes widened behind his mask. "_Eat_?"

She was regarding him with a sense of scepticism. "You… tasted me… yes?"

"Um… well… kind of…"

"The sensory organ of the tongue, it is what humans use to taste… or is it like the feline? You were… licking me to clean me?" She turned embarrassed, holding her hand in front of her mouth. "Do I have something on my teeth?"

How did the ground get so boggy so quick? Robin rubbed the back of his neck, desperately wishing he could just melt into the ground to avoid explaining. How can she know about kissing but not about making out? "No. That's not it. Your teeth are fine. I just… um… um… you know…" He floundered before he hit on some inspiration. "You know how in movies? When you see people kissing on the screen?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Yes," she answered, wary, dropping her hands away from her mouth.

Embarrassed, he pressed on. "And you know how when we go to the park, sometimes we see couples lying down beside each other and they're kissing?"

"Yes."

"And… the way they kiss, it always seems… more… than what we do, doesn't it?"

She pondered that. "They do seem to be rather vigorous although they do not like to be watched and are most angry about it. Why do they conduct lip contact in public if they do not wish to be witnessed?"

Interesting question. "I… don't really know." He waved his hand. "But that's not the point. The point is what they're doing with their mouths."

She scrunched up her nose, looking like a cute rabbit, an expression she always got when she was trying to figure things out. "I am not certain I understand."

"Well… their mouths are moving, aren't they?"

She frowned as she thought about it. "I… never noticed… yes… their mouths do seem to move. And they appear to kiss for a lot longer than we do."

"And they use their tongues," Robin explained.

She went wary. "So… you wish to try this prolonged lip contact with the use of tongue with me?"

It sounded so clinical when she said it. "It's called 'making out'," he said. "You've heard that expression before?"

She nodded.

"It's just like kissing," he said. "Only… it's a lot of kisses in a row, not like what we've been doing. It can lead to open mouth, tongue kisses."

She tapped her fingers together. "I see."

"I'd like to try that with you… if that's okay?"

She was uncertain. "Tongue kisses?"

He nodded.

She looked lost. "I am… unsure."

He hid his disappointment, something he was very good at. "That's okay," he said. "We don't have to."

She blinked. "It is not that… I do not wish to try," she said.

"It's okay," he said hastily. "Don't worry about it. It was a silly idea anyway—"

"I do not wish to disappoint your expectations."

"No, Star, I wouldn't be disappointed. I don't expect us to be very good at it at first," he said, sounding as awkward as he felt. "I just thought… it could be nice. Y'know?"

She didn't appear to know at all, still looking confused and uncertain.

He smiled at her. "Hey, look, don't worry about it," he said, his body going into 'I did something stupid, must run away' mode. "I've got a bit of work to do, I'll see you later."

He strode off down the hallway, leaving a very confused Starfire behind. He didn't go to his office, instead he went to his bedroom and banged his head against the wall, calling himself stupid.

Of course, about thirty seconds into his head banging, there was a knock at the door. "Robin?"

He couldn't exactly hide or brush her off, she would have followed him. Starfire was being polite; their bedrooms weren't exactly common territory since they rarely spent time in them when they were together. And she sounded concerned, especially because she knocked again.

He sighed and turned around, back braced against the wall and looking straight up. "You can come in."

The door swished open and Starfire stepped in far enough so that the door closed behind her. "Greetings."

"Hey," he murmured, then dropped his head from the wall. "Sorry about that…"

"You are frustrated."

He sighed and pushed away from the wall and walked over to the window. "Yeah. It's not anything you did," he quickly said. "It's just… we're so different. It makes things difficult." He cringed as a thought occurred to him and he twisted back to Starfire. "It's not that I don't like us being in relationship. I like that you're different."

She smiled sadly, her fingers threaded together as she regarded him. "I, too, share your frustrations."

"You do?"

She nodded. "I understand I do not do things as a normal Earth girl would do and I realise that grieves you, especially when you need to explain Earthen traditions to me. Like the making out. It is something that is a natural progression of an Earthen relationship, yes?"

He nodded. "Yeah, it is."

"Similarly, there are many things I know you cannot do with me because you are not a Tamaranian boy."

That surprised him, she'd never voiced anything like that before. "I can't? What do you want to do that's Tamaranian?"

She dropped her eyes. "You cannot share your energies with me. Nor can you fly."

"Fly?"

"There are certain… intimacies… that can only be conducted in the air," she explained. "I understand you will never be able to do that."

"You could carry—"

"Shared flight," she continued, looking down at the ground. "A couple would fly as close as they could together without touching. Face to face, stare into one another's eyes. We fly fast, matching each other's movements, learn to anticipate the wind. Once a couple becomes adept at anticipating movements, they often clasp hands and share their energies. It is a dance of trust and intimacy, but it only truly succeeds if both partners fly."

That sounded pretty intimate now he thought about it. "Oh. Share energies? Like your starbolts?"

She shook her head. "Not exactly. My sister and I are the only ones who can fashion starbolts, if you recall."

"Okay, well... what does the sharing of energies entail?"

She hesitated and then lifted a hand to clasp her opposite elbow. "Perhaps it would be better if I showed you?"

He nodded. "I'd like that."

Starfire swallowed and walked over to him. She stopped close, her body alighted with his but she didn't touch him.

His breath hitched at how close she was. "What do I do?"

She carefully took both his hands in her own and pressed her forehead to his. "Hold still, I will… attempt not to harm you."

He swallowed, eyes almost crossed as he tried to look at her. "Attempt?"

"I do not know what conducting this with a human will do," she murmured. "I have never done it before but I have seen my sister… If it damages you, you must tell me at once."

"Of course. Do I close my eyes?"

"No," she replied. "However, this would work better if I could view yours."

He nodded and released one of her hands, peeling off the mask and placed it in his belt. He didn't go without his mask often, and only within the Tower, but all the Titans had seen his eyes before. As an afterthought, he removed his gloves, tossing them onto his bed, so he could hold her hands properly. "How's that?" he asked as he pressed their foreheads together again.

Starfire beamed. "Good."

"Okay, what next?"

Starfire closed her eyes, then when she reopened them they were shining green. Robin could feel the heat of her eyes against his face. Everything about her seemed hot, burning. The heat travelled up his arms from her hands, filled up his chest. It was almost too hot for him to handle, but he resisted drawing away from her. It was like a wave, it swelled up his arm, followed by coolness, then heat again. Her eyes pulsed too, dimming and brightening. Robin couldn't see anything else other than green. It was so bright.

It wasn't uncomfortable, but it wasn't exactly pleasant for him either. He wondered what it was like for her, or should have been, because this was essentially a joint venture and he couldn't contribute.

There were black spots in front of his eyes, similar to what he got when he looked into a light bulb or the sun too long and he blinked several times in rapid succession. His eyes started watering madly and he had to draw back a bit. Starfire sighed and took a step backward and turned away from him, her eyes fading. She hugged her arms to herself and looked out the window.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, half blind and blinking to try to bring his sight back.

She sighed again. "It is not you," she replied, glum. "I knew I could never have the same level of intimacy with you as I could with a Tamaranian, just as you cannot have the same level of intimacy with me as you could with a human girl."

"Human intimacy means kissing and touching and lying on a bed together talking and cuddling. I can have that with you."

She regarded him quietly.

"You like kissing, don't you?" he asked, suddenly anxious.

She nodded. "It is nice."

"And touching? Cuddling?"

Her answering smile was soft and gentle. "That is very enjoyable to do with you."

"That's all making out is, really. Cuddling and holding each other and touching and kissing. The kissing doesn't have to be with tongue, but it is prolonged."

"Oh." She lifted her hands and grasped a length of hair in both hands. "Then it sounds like the making out is very similar to our sharing of energies… our sharing does evolve into more touch and cuddles."

"Just with less lip contact." He swallowed. "Um… just to go out on a limb here…" he cleared his throat and still squeaked out the word. "Sex." He coughed, coughed again. "Um… sex… you start off with the sharing of energies and go onto touching and stuff like that, then—ahh…"

Her eyes dropped downward for a fraction of a second before they were back on his. "Penetration of the female genitalia by the male. I believe our species are compatible. The human method is the same, yes?"

He nodded. "Just with more kissing."

"So… asking me to do the making out, it is actually an offer of sex?" she queried, strangely stiff.

"No!" Robin blurted, holding up his hands. "God, no. I'm not ready for that. We're too young."

She relaxed.

He ran his hand through his hair. "It's... I mean... sure. It can be a prelude to that, but most couples spent a lot of time learning about each other through touching and stuff before there's any actual… penetration."

"I see," she said, not sounding like she saw at all.

"I wanted to be closer to you. Kiss you more. Just spend time with you alone. Cuddle while we're not watching a movie."

"Oh."

He sighed. "It's not really fair to ask you to do the things I want to do when I can't do the things you like."

She looked woeful. "We could… try? If you like?"

He didn't want to push her. "No. It's okay."

"You tried the sharing of energies, even though it was not pleasant for you. I would be remiss if I did not at least attempt a making out."

"Um…"

She turned to face him again, a determined look on her face. "What do I do?"

"Um… okay…" he stepped toward her and took her hands. "Well, we start off the same," he said, resting his forehead against hers. "Only, close your eyes."

She complied, closing her eyes and puckering her lips slightly in preparation.

"Relax your lips," he murmured, watching her through half mast eyes.

Her forehead crinkled but she complied.

He released one of her hands so he could cup her cheek, lifting his head from her forehead at the same time. Tilting so their noses didn't bump, he pressed his lips to hers. He held them there for a long moment, and then parted his lips a little. Moved his mouth, little pecks, brushing his lips against hers, kiss different parts of her lips, the bottom one, then the top one, then both again.

It was like kissing a wall, a really soft wall, but unmoving all the same, she didn't know what to do. He didn't pull away. Instead he murmured against her lips, "Slowly move your lips with mine."

She tried, that was something he always appreciated about Starfire, her willingness to give it a go, but it did feel like she was trying to eat something juicy rather than kiss. But that was okay, at least she was trying. And her mouth was parted too. Since she was moving slowly, he did manage to be a little more forceful, directing the way she moved her lips and gradually they slipped from her trying to eat his face and into a proper kiss. He moved his hand from her face to her shoulder and tilted his head a little more as he ran his tongue just once along her lips. A few more kisses and he drew back and opened his eyes to look at her.

She was a little flushed and when she blinked open her eyes, she raised her free hand to her lips. "They are tingling," she murmured and smiled at him, but he couldn't tell if it was nervous smile or a hopeful one.

"That's good, right?"

Her tongue darted out to lick her lips. "Yes?"

"You're not sure?"

"I… do not know… I did not… I feel very strange."

"Strange, how?" he asked.

She pressed her hand to her belly. "Like there is something alive inside me, fluttering away."

He grinned, thrilled. "That's called 'getting butterflies'. It's an expression which basically means you're nervous or excited and it's a good thing when you're kissing."

She looked a little dazzled and he hoped that was a good sign. "Oh."

"Was it okay?"

"You enjoyed it, yes?"

"Very much, but this is not just about me. If you didn't we'll… find something we can do together to be close."

"I… perhaps we may try again?"

His own belly gave that nervous little tickle. "Are you sure?" he asked, hopeful but not wanting to press.

She licked her lips again and nodded and he was more than happy to close the distance between them.

He was a lot more confident this time and Starfire was more relaxed. He released her hand and placed it on her hip, the other hand still on her shoulder and she copied his hand position. They were more used to moving their lips together, teasing and playing. He took her bottom lip in his teeth and gently nibbled, before he let his tongue swipe against her lips again.

She drew back when he did that, her brow creased. "I do not… um…"

"You don't like that?"

She shook her head. "My apologies."

"That's okay," he murmured.

"The rest was most enjoyable," she said.

Robin grinned. "That's good."

"I… assume this is something to be done in private?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I'm not going to kiss you like that in front of the others."

"Very well."

"But, I can kiss you like that again?"

"I do not believe I would be opposed to it," she told him with a shy smile.

"Good," he grinned, relieved. "So… what else do Tamaranians do to show affection for a partner?"

Starfire flushed a bright orange. "Well…"

"What?" he asked, suddenly intrigued.

"We… show a lot of affection through our eyes," she said, not quite looking at him anymore. "Which is… most difficult with you, but perhaps you have… um… noticed?"

He frowned. "Noticed what?"

"I have… seen the Earthen cats do this and as my people are descended from a life form very similar to the feline… we…" she sighed, frustrated and just blurted out the next word. "Blink."

"Blink?" he asked. "What, like—" he blinked.

"Not… so fast. If you hold my gaze then blink slowly… it is a sign of affection."

"Oh." With a small frown, he tried it, holding her gaze, then slowly closed his eyes and opened them again.

Starfire was practically beaming as she did the same, her whole face changing, becoming bashful and happy all at once.

Robin grinned, pleased with her response. "Okay, I'll have to do that one more. How much like an Earth cat are you?"

The question seemed to fluster her. "I do not understand. What do you mean?"

"Well, cats here have this spot—" He didn't really think anything would happen, which is why he did it, lifting his hand and placed the tips of his fingers behind her ear and gave her a little rub.

Starfire folded against him, her legs going out from under her. Robin grabbed at her, supporting her weight. "Woah," he murmured, especially when he felt a strange rumble in Starfire's chest. "Are you purring?"

Her eyelids were all fluttery, her eyes glazed before she seemed to snap to her senses and backed away, thoroughly embarrassed. "Oh. My apologies," she blurted, holding her arms against her chest and hunching her shoulders as she tried to make herself smaller.

"What was that?" he asked, astounded. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Oh, um… no… not… " she stammered. "I… was not ready for you touch me there."

"It's a special spot?"

She nodded, still blushing and flustered. "Yes. Most intimate."

He cringed. "I'm sorry, Star, I didn't mean to overstep my bounds."

She touched herself behind her ear, rubbing it once before she looked over at him. "You did not know. It is okay."

He watched her warily.

She scratched her neck. "Tamaranians have… four stages of physical intimacy," she murmured, still not looking at him. "The first is the energy sharing. That was the second. The third is," she flushed again. "Manual stimulation of the genitals."

"And the fourth is sex."

She nodded.

"We have something similar," he said. "Bases, we call them. First is making out, second is basically touching of the… breasts area, third seems to be the same as yours, and so is forth."

"Grebnax?" Starfire asked, glancing down at her own. "Truly?"

"It's not a sexual place for you?"

"Not… well… no… it is not one of our erogenous zones."

"Oh."

She blinked and frowned, then shook her head. "Truly, that makes sense now."

"What does?"

"Why boys are so interested in them. I did not understand. Now I do… and why humans are so fastidious regarding their coverings. I thought it was most odd…"

"Oh." Great. There was second base, straight out the window. Robin's shoulders slumped slightly.

She gave him a shrewd look. "So… you would wish to touch me there?"

His mouth went dry. "One day… yeah… if it was okay with you."

She looked uncertain.

Not wanting to press, Robin asked, "Um… third… it's just manual? There's no um… oral stimulation?"

She blinked, her eyes incredibly wide. "Do humans use their mouths for all forms of intimacy?"

And there went any chance of a head job sometime in the distant future. "Yeah… kinda…"

"Oh…" She curled into herself again. "Perhaps we are not as compatible as I thought."

"Hey, no," he murmured, crossing to her so he could wrap his arms around her. "Look, we'll find a way to compromise. We'll just take things slow, okay? Work things out as they come up. Look what we've figured out so far."

She nodded and leant into him, her arms around his waist.

"Any other spots I should avoid?" he asked.

"No… do you have any?"

"Not like that," he replied. "Just warning you… humans like to express affection with our lips… don't be surprised if I kiss you in other places other than the mouth."

She raised her head. "Other places?"

"Yeah. Like this," he pressed his lips to her cheek. "Or this…" he moved down to her jaw line, planting little kisses against her skin. "Or here," he murmured into her neck as he kissed her there.

"Oh," she cooed.

"Like that?" he asked and nuzzled.

"Yes."

Feeling cheeky, he dropped down on one knee and kissed her belly. He figured that'd be okay, since she let him touch her there.

Starfire giggled. "Robin!"

"Ticklish?" he asked, smirking and placed both hands on her waist.

Her eyes widened and curled up in a ball in the air. "No—"

Cyborg thumped on the door, making both of them jump with surprise. "Man, we're ordering pizza and B's picking a movie. You in?"

Robin smiled and raised an eyebrow at Starfire, who nodded. "We'll be out in a minute."

"Star in there?" Cyborg asked, sounding surprised.

"Yup." Robin rose and held out his hand for Starfire to take then headed for the door.

"I shall go fetch Raven," Starfire announced as the door opened. She leant in and kissed Robin on the cheek, then zipped off down the corridor.

"Sorry, man," Cyborg mumbled, apologetic. "Didn't know."

"It's cool, we were just talking."

"Is that what the kids are callin' it these days?" Cyborg teased, obviously trying to be light.

"I don't kiss and tell," Robin replied.

"So there was kissin'?"

"Of course," Robin replied. "She's my girlfriend after all."

Cyborg laughed and thumped his hand down on Robin's shoulder. "Man, it's nice seein' you this relaxed. She's good for you."

Robin smiled. "Yeah. She is."


	2. Second

_**Author's note:**_

_I may have sounded a little bitchy last chapter, but it really annoys me when I get a fave, and I go check their page (because I check everyone's pages) and it lists the person's age as 13 (kids, seriously, don't list your ages. Pedobear is out there). Or under. Most of my stories are T, with occasional M factors, and I know people skip the M parts, but it still makes me feel like I'm corrupting the innocent. _

_I'm an adult. Occasionally I like to write smutty things. You should see some of the stuff I have hidden away in my hard drive… well… maybe you shouldn't. The stuff I post here isn't as bad as what I've seen around the place, especially on here. There are some very blatant word porn pieces around._

_Yeah, yeah, I get that if I didn't want people to read, I shouldn't post on FFnet. Anyway, no more Kry ranting._

* * *

><p><strong>Second.<strong>

Compromises are never easy, especially not when they are between two races as different as human and Tamaranian. Blinking made life less complicated though, Robin found himself taking off his mask more often around Starfire in the Tower just so he could blink at her. She seemed to especially like them while they were snuggled up together watching a movie. He'd turn his head toward her, or take her chin and lift her head from his chest and blink, and she'd blush and coo and gift him with a kiss in return. They even developed a hand signal so he could tell her he was blinking at her when he had his mask on. It wasn't quite the same as when she could see his eyes, but she told him she liked that he was thinking of her.

The others didn't really seem to notice their secret blinkings. At least, Beast Boy and Cyborg never said a word, and Raven, if she knew, she wouldn't bring it up anyway.

As the months past, they went on lots of dates around the city. Movies, dinner, walks in the park. Moonlit strolls where they talked and laughed. Feeding the ducks in the park. Visiting the carnival, bumper cars and the haunted house. Time together without gratuitous making out, normal couple things. They did lots of things with their friends too, football and games, frisbee, going to the movies as a group, the beach, pizza.

Starfire and Robin went flying too, Robin rigged up a harness, a double belt, as invasive as he could make it. He thought about a glider, but it didn't have the manoeuvrability Starfire wanted, and she couldn't get in close enough to him. The harness kept them face to face while flying so it felt like they weren't touching each other. That way she could share her energies with him (he wore special contacts so she didn't burn his eyes) and they could fly together. The first few times they tried was pretty scary for him, but he was used to that kind of fear. And she'd never let him fall.

They bashed heads, bumped noses, upper bodies slamming together the first time they tried it. Robin wasn't used to the carefree way she flew, he only knew about her battle flight, the direct lines, straight into battle. When she flew naturally, she curved in the air, more flexible than he thought she was. Ducking and weaving, her back would arch, her arms above her head, her neck extended. She would bend over backward as she reached a height, diving toward the ground and he discovered if he didn't bend with her, when she dropped they'd clonk heads, and then tumble through the sky until she stalled their drop.

They came out of that first flight with Robin nursing a broken nose and sporting a black eye and Starfire completely apologetic and upset. She fawned over him, while Beast Boy and Cyborg enjoyed the teasing opportunity.

Hands fluttering, she gently applied the ice to Robin's face. "Oh, Robin, I apologise, I did not think—"

"S'n'k," he mumbled and waved his hand at her before he took the ice pack and laid flat on his back in the medical bay. "'av-n?"

"She is on her way."

"So is bumpin' noggins the same as bumpin' uglies?" Beast Boy asked, cheeky.

"Or knockin' boots," Cyborg said and Robin could hear the grin in his voice.

"Our boots did knock," Starfire mumbled, sounding contrite. "That was inevitable, but I did not mean to break his nose."

In the background, Cyborg and Beast Boy burst into laughter and Robin sighed, tuning their conversation out. He felt Starfire pick up his hand and he squeezed in response.

"Idiots," Raven muttered and Robin felt her hand take the ice pack from his and gently lift. He didn't bother opening his eyes, it hurt too much, but he heard Raven's sympathetic intake of breath. "That looks nasty."

"Can you do anything?" Starfire pleaded.

"I'll mend the nose, but he won't be pretty to look at for a while. That okay, Robin?"

" 'up."

Starfire sniffled.

Robin really didn't need to watch Raven to know what she was doing, he could feel the cartilage in his nose mending, his eyes watering madly as a result. Thank heavens his eyes were closed and the guys weren't watching his face, they would have seen the pooling tears under his eyelashes.

Raven replaced the icepack. "It'll help with the swelling," she muttered. "Keep it on for a while."

Robin nodded. "Thanks," he said, feeling better that he could actually talk without feeling like there was a watermelon stuffed up his nose.

Beast Boy and Cyborg were still exchanging various crude sexual references about what Robin and Starfire could possibly be doing together ('Joining the mile high club', 'Earning their wings') and Robin heard double smacks, most likely from Raven from the complaining of the guys as they were forced from the room.

"Robin," Starfire murmured. "I am so sorry. I did not mean for this to happen."

"It's fine," he replied. "I've had worse."

"We will not do that again—"

"Yes, we will," he said, stern.

"You were injured—"

"So?" He lifted the icepack so he could see her face. "I don't care."

She looked mournful. "I do."

He sighed and patted the bed beside him, putting the icepack back against his face. "Sit."

She shifted, sitting on the bed and placed his hand in her lap.

"Star, I'm an acrobat. It's not an easy skill to learn. I've had my share of spills and falls. I broke my wrist when I was five falling from a practice trapeze. My father always taught me, you have to learn how to fall before you can learn how to fly. We've only tried this once, it was an accident. We're bound to have accidents before we get this right. Next time, we'll take things a little slower, I'll be more prepared."

"I do not wish you hurt."

"It'll be worth it in the end," he murmured. "When we get it right, you'll see. I know it's hard, but I'll get this. I promise."

"Robin…"

"What if I rig the harness so our chests are belted together too, just until I get used to this? That way, if we bump heads, it won't be as bad."

"Hmm…"

"I'm more subject to gravity than you are, sweetie," he said. "But I really want to do this."

Starfire sighed his name.

"Besides," he lifted up the icepack again so he could smile at her. "I thought you were beautiful up there. I've never seen you so free. I can't wait to try it again."

She smiled through her sniffles. "Truly?"

"Yup."

The raccoon eyes and the sore nose for a week didn't deter him. This was Starfire's culture, her way of being close. He couldn't not participate and he knew she was grateful that he endured. Gradually, they got used to it, discovering if they loosely held hands while Starfire flew, Robin had a better chance of aligning their bodies to follow her flight.

Their first successful flight sent Starfire into a spin, blushing and smiling and physically unable to land for hours after it, and Robin felt so damn proud that he was the one who made her feel like that.

Making out got more effortless the more comfortable Starfire became with kissing. She was even beginning to initiate sessions (his absolute favourite was when she initiated them in flight) and he was working out her special places to touch or kiss so she'd get more out of his affection. Like her face. Or neck. The inside of her elbow. Nibble on her ear. The skin at the small of her back, just below her belt line.

Making out sessions were usually conducted in his room, or her room. They started simple, standing together and cuddling, or sitting on a bed and gradually evolved to lying down side by side. Legs would entwined, hands would roam, Robin's hands mostly, but he always stayed away from that spot behind Starfire's ear. And her 'grebnax', because they weren't a sexual area for her, there was no point kidding himself and going for it when it wouldn't actually do anything for her, as disappointing that was for Robin. He did manage to get a few sideboob touches as he stroked his hands along her sides, but it was never enough.

A lot of the time they talked first, just about general things, before the kissing started. She seemed quite happy with the opened mouth kisses, as long as there wasn't any tongue, and he was more than ecstatic to put aside the tongue for the chance to make out with her.

Accessory clothes were discarded before they really started, boots and gloves, mask and cape and his utility belt. It was just sort of normal for him now, to step out of his boots at the door if they were going to be spending time together in one of their rooms and he always made sure he took off his mask as he entered the room, even if they were just spending a few minutes together. Little courtesies.

Shirts had stayed on though. Even at ten months into their relationship and while they were both quite happy to let hands roam above the clothes, neither of them really wanted to rush into things. They always talked about it before they tried anything new, Robin learnt that from the first time.

They'd advanced to lying on top of each other, usually Robin beneath Starfire while she straddled his hips. Robin wasn't quite sure how managed to happen, but was really glad it had. It gave him more access to her body, his hands could slide up her outer thigh, play with the hem of her skirt, slip up her back and entangle in her hair at the base of her neck. Probably why she straddled him, she liked the access to her body he had, all her special places she liked to be touched and she knew that kissing him would satisfy him.

Compromises, so they could give each other the closeness and companionship the other needed.

Not to mention the way her hips shifted against him as they kissed and how warm she was and how she really didn't mind when he was… aroused… it was really… um… nice… Yeah…

Downright sexy and hot.

Of course, the first time Starfire'd felt Robin's arousal during a make out session, it had shocked her. While he'd been really good at keeping it away when they'd been kissing lying on their sides and controlling himself to go down before she noticed when the make out session ended (he usually accomplished this by rolling onto his stomach and talking to her), when she started to straddle him, it became impossible for him to hide it.

She reared away from him, scampering backward a little, embarrassing the hell out of him in the process, her eyes fixed on his pelvis.

Robin immediately rolled onto his stomach to hide, propping himself up on his elbows. "Um…"

"What is that?" she asked, wide eyed.

He groaned inwardly at the prospect of another awkward cultural conversation between the two of them. "Well… um… it's called an erection," he said, his face flaring.

She looked up at his eyes. "Human male genitalia grow?"

He nodded, cringed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah… when we're… aroused… it fills up with blood."

"In preparation of sex?"

He looked down at his hand. "Yeah."

"Does this mean you wish for the sex?" she asked, her voice wavering.

"No," he replied, flicking his head up to look at her. "We're not ready for that. It just… it's a physical reaction I can't really control. It means I like what we're doing. I think it's sexy."

She looked a little relieved. "Oh."

"Don't Tamaranian male genitalia grow?" he asked, curious.

She flushed and dropped her eyes, picking at the bed sheet with her fingers. "Having not… seen… I do not know. I suppose they must."

"Oh." Robin found it strange that she didn't know.

She flushed again. "Truly, some of my education is lacking… I left Tamaran before I was of age. They do not like to discuss intricate details with children, just the fundamentals. I was considered a true woman when I underwent transformation, my knowledge would have been expanded then had I remained on Tamaran."

"I see."

"My apologies for my reaction, I was unprepared."

"It's my fault. I should've said something. Explained it."

"May I look?" she asked, curious.

His mouth went dry. "What?" he squeaked.

"That is not appropriate?" she asked, tilting her head.

"I'm not really ready to be naked…"

"Oh, I did not mean that. I was simply curious if it looked as hard as it felt."

"Um… there's… um… a considerable amount of pliable body armour there. It… distorts the shape a bit. Like my shirt."

"Oh. I see." She stroked her fingers through a strand of hair that had fallen over her shoulder. "Do you… not wish for me to be on top?"

"I like it when you straddle me," he murmured, more than a little embarrassed. "It's hot. And I have so much more access to your body. Even if I was on top, you'd probably still feel it. I'm comfortable with it if you are."

"You are going to continue receiving the erection?" she asked, curious.

"I can't control that. So yeah, I'll probably continue getting them."

"And… you would not mind if our bodies contacted down there?"

"Only if you do. Star, you don't have to do anything you don't want to do. If you're not comfortable, we can go back to lying beside each other."

She smiled at him. "I think I can handle it."

So many dirty thoughts popped into Robin's mind then. "_Handle_ it, you say?" he leered and waggled his eyebrows.

Starfire giggled and stretched out beside him again. He draped his arm over her stomach and leant in to connect their lips.

Things became heated pretty quickly after that. Their next few make out sessions were unbearably hot, almost erotic. She was quite comfortable straddling him, even though she never deliberately ground against him, she would shift and her thigh would innocently brush and he'd wish for more. Robin's hands were itching to move over her more, stroke against forbidden areas, make her feel as good as her hips made him feel. But he resisted, as hard as that was for him to do.

Heated kisses, however. Ones that seemed to make Starfire flush more than he was used to and Robin could tell they were working up to something. A new step. As much as he would have liked to take the initiative, he didn't push.

She was shifting against him a lot more today, the movement of her hips causing her thigh to brush against him. Robin's stomach gave a happy little dance as she pressed her body closer and her tongue slid against his. Something new and different that she was willing to add to their repertoire. He tried not to be too eager about it.

Starfire drew back from his lips and panted. "Touch me," she murmured.

Robin's hormones rocketed off. Even though he knew what she meant, the hope for something else as well was insane. "Where?" he asked, just to clarify as he slipped his hand up to the back of her neck. "Here?"

Starfire closed her eyes and arched her head back in anticipation.

He spread his fingers wide, his middle finger stretching toward one ear while his thumb went to the other. The response in Starfire was immediate and quite energetic. She gasped when he hit the right spot just behind her ear and rubbed in slow circles. She lifted away from him completely, sitting upright on his lap and he was forced to follow her up, just so he could keep his hand on her head.

She was perched on top of his legs, her hands gripping his shoulders, her back as straight as she could get it as she curved her head into his hand. Her positioning meant his face was level with her chest.

There was a rumbling vibration tumbling through her, he could feel it through his hips, his chest, his other hand on her back. As her eyes fluttered, he could see they were glowing fiercely.

And his face was still level with her chest.

The temptation was just too great.

Keeping his palm bracing her neck, he moved his other hand until it cupped one of her breasts.

Starfire opened her eyes and looked down at him.

"Is this okay?" he asked, desperately hoping she wouldn't say no.

She chewed her lip before she shuddered, a trembling ripple that travelled down her body.

He withdrew his hand from her breast immediately. "Sorry," he murmured.

"No, Robin," she said, catching his hand and placing it back on her chest. "That is fine. It was your other hand."

He stilled his fingers. "Oh."

"It was the good reaction," she replied.

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh... Good." He gave her breast a light squeeze, marvelling at how soft it was. "And this is okay?"

"Yes," she purred.

It was a good thing that Robin was ambidextrous and good at multitasking. It would be remiss of him not to continue rubbing that zone behind her ears while he concentrated on memorizing the feel of her chest.

"You are so beautiful," he murmured.

She giggled. "I fail to see the fascination."

He grinned up at her. "Well, I fail to see why this—" he demonstrated by rubbing his finger and thumb a little more forcefully, "— sets you off so much."

"Do you wish for me to remove my shirt?" she asked, tilting her head back more and leaning into his hand.

He froze. "Um…"

"It is not an erogenous zone for me," she said. "I do not mind."

"Star…" He stopped what he was doing, dropping his hand away from her neck and waited until she opened her eyes to look at him. "It _is_ an erogenous zone for humans. Even if it doesn't do anything for you, it's going to do an assortment of amazing things for me. I don't want to feel like I'm using you."

"Robin," Starfire said with a smile. She lifted her hand from his shoulder and rubbed him in the same place as he'd just been rubbing her. Robin squirmed and lifted his shoulders as she tickled the back of his neck. "If I thought this would be beneficial to you, I would not hesitate to stimulate as you were doing to me. Since it does nothing but apparently tickle I would give you something which you find arousing."

"Yeah, but…"

She took his hand, lifted it so it was back behind her head. "I have been longing for you to touch me there for some time. Just as I believe you have been longing to touch my grebnax. I offered. It is up to you."

He closed his eyes for a moment and the horny teenage boy inside threatened to disown him if he didn't take Starfire's offer. "Please?"

Starfire smiled and touched his cheek, before she hooked her fingers underneath the hem of her top and dragged it over her head.

Robin blinked in surprise. Purple see through lace… he could actually see her nipples through it. "Wow."

Starfire giggled. "Human grebnax ornaments are most entertaining," she said. "On Tamaran I would not wear one but Raven was most insistent that I do on Earth."

Images flashed through his mind of her taking the shirt off to reveal a braless chest and he groaned.

His imagination was rewarded a few moments later when Starfire reached around behind her and snapped off the bra before he could even think to form the words to stall her.

Breasts, right in front of his face. Perfect and round and perky nipples and everything he always dreamed, and they were right there, and he had the go ahead to touch. "Holy… wow…"

She pressed her lips to his forehead, then arched her neck. "Can you…?"

He dragged his eyes away from her breasts then grinned. "Yeah. Sorry," he murmured, returned one hand to the back of her neck to stroke her while the other fondled her chest. Of course, as she leaned back into his hand, her back arched to push her chest out, which was completely fine with him.


	3. Third

**Third.**

Robin liked that Starfire had a secret erogenous zone behind her ear, he started calling it her sweet spot. Once he'd received permission to touch her there, he became sneaky about it. Burying his hand in her hair while they were watching a movie. Creeping up behind her in the kitchen and placing a kiss against that spot and feel her curl back against him in response. Especially if they were alone in the common room at the time, he'd accompany the kiss with two hands on her breasts.

Sparring was his favourite. They'd be in the gym, working up a sweat as they mock fought. If he ever managed to pin her, she'd get stroked behind her ears and become this puddle of purring Starfire almost instantly. It was almost like a secret weapon and he loved exploiting it.

Only when they were alone, of course, he'd never touch her there if they were with the other Titans.

Okay, so he lied… he'd so touch her there while they were watching a movie with the other Titans. Little secretive brushes as she rested her head against his chest, but nothing firm. He didn't want to embarrass her, just enough to relax her.

Oh, and if he touched her in the air… wow… she would purr and they would free fall from the sky. Scary and exhilarating, her flight when she managed to control it becoming very swayed, almost drunk, and he realised why both people needed flight. Anywhere else on her body was fair game though.

Their one year anniversary rolled around, both of them surprised. Not because they made it to a year together, but because it seemed such a short space of time. Robin took Starfire to dinner, dressed as civilians, a rare treat for both of them, although he kept his mask on. He pulled out all the stops, flowers, a pretty pendant necklace, borrowed the T-Car rather than take his bike.

Of course, since it's Jump after all and even though Raven, Beast Boy and Cyborg said they'd take care of things, dinner was interrupted by an attack just around the corner. Robin couldn't help but answer, it was hardwired into him. Fortunately, or unfortunately, it happened to be Control Freak, who was practically a puddle of goo when he saw Starfire all dressed up, and she kicked his butt in high heels and a dress.

They went for a moonlit stroll through the park, holding hands and laughing and thoroughly enjoying each other's company and ended up cuddling and kissing down by the lake before heading back to the Tower and into Robin's room.

As time continued to pass and their relationship blossom, they discovered a compromise that suited both of them. He would manipulate the skin behind her ears and coax her to lie down, trapping his hand behind her head. From here, he could continue stroking her while he kissed her lips, or travelled down her neck to her chest. Of course, the way she arched her neck would push her chest out and he was just fine with that.

They had another awkward, explaining moment when she realised he wanted to put his mouth on her chest too.

"You wish to suckle?" she asked, her eyes wide. "Like a baby would?"

"I did say humans like to express affection with their mouths," he mentioned.

"Well… yes… a kiss. Suckling is not kissing."

"I've done it to your neck before."

She touched her fingers to her neck. "Oh."

"May I just try it?" he prompted. "If you're really uncomfortable, I'll stop."

She thinned her lips warily, but nodded.

He flashed a smile and kissed her. He waited until she was relaxed beneath him, playing with her sweet spot for a while before he kissed his way down her body. Extracting his hand from behind her head, he cupped one breast and closed his mouth over the other. He wanted a true reaction, not a placebo one created by her purring about her other zone.

He peeked at her, she seemed interested in what he was doing, but unsure how to react. He didn't want her to fake anything with him, act like it pleased her when it didn't so he was glad she gave him a true reaction. He swirled his tongue across the peak, nibbled a bit but she still had no clear reaction to it. Not anything remotely as pleasing as the reaction he received when playing with her sweet spot.

He kissed her breast once more and raised his head. "Well?"

"It is… nice?" she replied, hesitantly.

"Nice?" It _was_ nice, but it didn't excite him as much as stroking her sweet spot. Which he found odd. And annoying.

"Um… I am uncertain how I am supposed to react," she said. "It felt… nice…"

"But?"

"It… feels the same as when you kiss my abdomen. It tickles a little."

"Oh."

What a letdown. But then, he hadn't been building himself up to it being some huge event for her either. More… it was a letdown for himself too, since he really didn't get anything out of it either.

"You soiled me!" he complained.

"I am… sorry?" she replied, completely confused.

"Breasts aren't supposed to be _platonic_," he complained again, burying his face in them. "They're supposed to be sensual, sexual objects. Guys are supposed to lust after them, chase them down and be satisfied with the victory of touching them."

"I do not understand."

"Here we are, you're half naked and lying under me, sexy and gorgeous, I have free reign on the boobies and I. Don't. Want. Them."

"Robin?"

"My father would be so disappointed. I bet the Grayson and Wayne men just about rolled over in their graves."

Poor Starfire was completely perplexed. "Um…"

He chuckled and lifted his face. "I just discovered I like doing this," he stroked that sweet spot of hers and she purred in response, "more than this," he finished and closed his mouth over her breast. "Just from your reactions. Put your shirt on, you don't have to worry about me playing with them anymore."

She reached for her shirt and he snatched her wrist.

"I was kidding," he deadpanned at her.

"I am confused."

"So am I," he confessed.

It wasn't fair. He would rather rub her sweet spot than play with her breasts. The reactions he received were much more erotic and satisfying than the reactions he got from her breasts. She was so much sexier when he could watch the expressions on her face as he rubbed her behind her ears, when he could feel her writhing as she enjoyed it.

Didn't stop him playing with her breasts though. Or wanting to look and touch and taste. Part of him wished she could get as much pleasure from her chest as he could, but then he was pretty sure she wished he could get the same feeling as she could from her spot behind the ears. Of course, when he figured out if he did both at once, suckled her breast and fondled her sweet spot, she'd arch her chest up toward his mouth and he found that so goddamn sexy. Especially when she started clasping the back of his head and moaning.

Of course, most of their making out sessions usually ended with him being painfully aroused and taking ages to calm down. Cold showers or finishing himself off after she'd left helped. Although, she'd started eyeing of his pants and the bulge with a thoughtful expression.

Robin's eighteen birthday arrived. All the Titans arrived with presents and well wishing and ready to party. Cyborg cranked up the music, Beast Boy broke out the games, Raven plastered on a smile. Starfire floated everywhere, joyful. Robin was happy and enjoying his moment.

Thankfully, Starfire didn't force Robin to wear the crown of meat that signified the day of one's birth, although he was surprisingly disappointed when she didn't even ask him to wear the one she prepared, just left it on the kitchen bench. With a smile at Starfire and a warning glare at Cyborg and Beast Boy, he picked it up and plonked it on his head, wearing it around for an hour. Starfire was so happy he'd embraced that part of her culture, she didn't mind in the slightest when he went to wash his hair to get rid of the smell of meat.

Robin danced with all the girls at least once, it seemed to be birthday prerogative, they were all over him all night. He even managed to drag Raven onto the dance floor, Beast Boy cheekily switching the music to a slow dance and snitched Starfire, taunting both Raven and Robin by pretending to grope Starfire's ass. Raven, of course, responded by smacking Beast Boy across the back his head with a black claw.

Cyborg got to dance with his girls too, before he conned Bumblebee onto the floor for a slow dance. Robin was sure he saw ass groping and Cyborg necking a giggling Bumblebee. Beast Boy and Raven had a dance or two as well, without the ass groping, but Robin did spot a moving cuddle. It was hard to miss, Starfire practically floated away from his arms when she saw that and Robin had to shift his grip on her waist to keep her close to him.

He and Starfire danced a lot, although Robin did let her dance with other guys too, like Kid Flash and Speedy, as long as they behaved and kept their hands to themselves. They played an assortment of games, stuffed their faces with the food Cyborg and Starfire had spent the day preparing, danced some more, answered a Titan alert, scaring the crap out of the hapless criminal as all of the Titan Network turned up to answer and eventually had some birthday cake.

Robin was completely embarrassed as everyone juvenilely sang happy birthday to him, Starfire floating by his side, before Raven insisted he blow out his candles so they could all have some cake. Someone thought it would be incredibly funny to order a Batman signal shaped cake, Robin blamed Kid Flash.

It was well after one in the morning before the rest of the Titans vacated the premises and the remaining five surveyed the carnage. The empty soda cans, the popped balloons, the cake smooshed into the carpet.

"All in favour of doin' this in the mornin'?" Cyborg drawled, hiding a yawn.

"Aye," Beast Boy mumbled, half asleep on the sofa.

"Bed time," Raven muttered as she hoisted Beast Boy into a semi standing position and helped him stumble toward the common room door. "Night."

"Night," Robin called, offering her a wave.

"Yeah, I'm off to bed too," Cyborg said. "Need to recharge. Night Rob, 'appy b'day."

"Thanks."

"Night, Star," Cyborg called, as he placed his palm on the panel beside the door. "Initiatin' lockdown."

"Pleasant _snorvlaks_," Starfire called, as she picked up the trash can and placed it upright on the floor.

"Leave it," Robin said and held out his hand to her. "Bed time. Do you want to stay with me tonight?" They'd often shared a bed, just snuggling, so it wasn't an unreasonable request. They always made sure to ask one another though, before they got too comfortable. It was, it should be noted, also an offer for some heavy upper body petting and falling asleep in underwear.

Starfire nodded as she floated over to take his hand.

They stripped off once they reached his room, Robin remaining in his briefs and pulling on a pair of sweat pants and Starfire removing everything expect her panties and then they flopped into bed.

"Comfy?" he asked as she curled up against his side, her head on his chest and her leg thrown across his. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed the top of her head.

"Yes."

"What a night."

"It was most enjoyable."

He sighed in contentment and stared at the roof. "Eighteen. Kind of amazing."

Starfire mumbled something non-committal.

"I've been thinking about Nightwing lately," he mentioned, brushing his fingertips along her shoulder and down her upper arm. "Making the switch."

Starfire raised her head from his chest. "Oh?"

"The traffic light jokes are getting old," he explained.

She was concerned. "What would that mean for us?"

"Nothing," he said. "Nothing'd change. I'd just have a new uniform and name."

"You would still lead the Titans?"

"Yup." He frowned. "Why?"

"The Nightwing of the future was… very much like Batman," she said. "Working alone."

"The Nightwing of the future didn't have you," he replied and gave her a squeeze. "Besides, if anything was going to change, like me leaving the Titans, you and I would discuss it first, don't worry."

Starfire relaxed, resting her head back on his chest. "Could you not just stay Robin and create a new uniform?"

"Robin will always be connected with Batman," he grumbled. "Nightwing will be my own."

"Oh…"

"What's really wrong?"

"I like calling you Robin," she murmured. "It will be… difficult to start calling you a different name."

"Oh… well… you could always call me Dick if you wanted. That way it doesn't matter if I change names."

Her fingers drew little circles on his chest. "But… you do not like us to call you by your civilian name."

"Really, that rule is for Beast Boy and Cyborg and their everlasting penile jokes. I'll make an exception for you. Just think about it, okay?"

In the darkness, he felt her nod against his chest.

He sighed and yawned, then kissed the top of Starfire's head again. "Night."

He closed his eyes and tried to go sleep. Starfire didn't say anything, but her fingers kept going in little circles on his chest. Round and round and round, it was quite distracting. Especially when she lifted her head and started placing kisses along his chest.

"Not interested in sleeping?" he asked eventually.

"No," she murmured and he felt her hair tickle his chest as she lifted her head away. "I love you."

Robin's breath hitched and he stiffened.

"I am sorry," Starfire responded immediately, sounding terrified by his reaction. So much so that she scrambled away from him. "It is the social indiscretion, yes?" she said, speaking a mile a minute. "Oh I should not have said anything. My sincerest apologies. I did not mean to embarrass you or make you angry. I just wished too—" she fell off the end of the bed and practically bolted for her clothes. "I should not— it was wrong of me to presume—"

He tackled her. Caught her around her waist and shoved her up against the wall, pinned her by the wrists and pressed himself against her. She squeaked in surprise and her chest heaved against his. By the light from the crack in his curtains, he could see her staring at him. "I love you, too," he told her, releasing one wrists and sliding his hand behind her head.

Starfire immediately relaxed against him, rumbling her version of a purr.

Shifting so he supported her weight, he kissed her jaw, then her neck as she leant her head back into his hand. "It's not a social blunder, I was just surprised that's all. I love you," he repeated.

She curled her hands against his shoulders, leaning into him. Sliding both hands down her body, he stopped at the back of her thighs and lifted her up until she wrapped her legs around his waist and then carried her over to the bed. With a breathy chuckle, he tilted and let them both flop.

Starfire giggled as they bounced, which turned into a purr as his hand found its way back to her sweet spot. Robin chuckled again and attached their lips.

They kissed for a while, tongues moving together, hands stroking at bare skin, before Robin trailed kisses down her neck and to her chest. Deciding to be daring, and because it was his birthday, they had just admitted they loved each other and he thought she might actually let him, as he suckled on her breast, he ran his fingers along her panties, following the hem at her hip, daring to dip his fingers under and then back out, judging her reaction. Nothing, except a light tremor.

He slipped his hand in at her hip and left it there, palm flat against her skin before he kissed back up to her mouth, moving sideways a little so he had more room. Starfire gripped his upper arm, but didn't move his hand away.

He gave her sweet spot an extra firm rub, resulting in a completely cooing and relaxed Starfire, before he moved his hand until it cupped her outside her panties. A different sort of heat saturated the palm of his hand and Starfire made a strange noise. He wasn't sure if it was an accepting or a reluctant noise so he just left his hand there and kissed her, trying to see if she would give him any more clues on whether or not it was okay.

She made that noise again, but this time it was accompanied by her legs shifting a little wider and squeezing his upper arm with her fingers and Robin decided it was an invitation. He went for it.

Starfire gasped and dragged her lips away to throw her head back as his fingers connected with her bare skin. Robin kissed and sucked at her neck, removing his fingers from her sweet spot so he could learn her reactions as he explored. Whenever he seemed to hit something particularly nice, he'd get an upper arm squeeze or a gasp.

Robin didn't expect anything to happen this first time, he wasn't stupid. He was aware it would take practice and conversation, so for now he was content just to learn and feel and blunder his way around. Starfire seemed to be enjoying herself at least.

He found her entrance, moist and warm, and probed it carefully with a finger.

It was pleasing, the noises she made as he explored. Sexy and hot. She gripped his arm, raised her hips toward his hand, purred and rumbled and let him play and mimic thrusting with his fingers, that was the best part. Her eyes shone beneath her lids, faintly glowing, giving him a clear view of the expressions on her face.

She groaned.

He grinned, smug. "Like that?"

Her hips bucked. "_Robin_."

"It's okay if something's happening," he said, trying to be soothing."Go with it."

"I do not—" She groaned again. "_No_."

Robin lifted his head, that wasn't a good moan. "What's wrong?"

"Stop."

He stilled his fingers but didn't remove them. "Huh?"

She jerked, reached down and yanked his hand away then vanished from the bed.

Completely surprised, Robin rolled over and switched on his bedside lamp. "Star?"

She was curled up in a ball, in the corner of his room, up near the roof. Her legs were up against her chest, her arms gripping the walls, her back pressed against the wall corner, her eyes tightly shut. She was pale and panting.

"Star?"

Her eyes flicked open, shining green and she bared her teeth and snarled at him. Her nails scraped against his wall, leaving scratch marks. The ferocity immediately faded and she looked appalled. "Oh, Robin, my apologies. Please, give me the moment."

He sat on the bed watching her as she concentrated on her breathing and eventually relaxed. She blinked open her eyes and gave him an ashamed expression. "My apologies."

He held out his arms. "What was that?"

She flushed as she descended from the wall and crept back to him. "Something I was not prepared for."

When she didn't say anything else as she crawled into his arms, he prompted, "Which was?"

"May we discuss it in the morning?" she murmured.

"What it something I did? What did I do wrong?" he asked, concerned.

"Oh, no, Robin, it was not you," she replied and rubbed her face against his shoulder. "It was… an instinct that I had not expected to arise just yet."

"Oh… what—"

"Please," she implored. "In the morning? It is a… rather… in-depth… not to mention embarrassing discussion, and I would not ruin your birthday."

He frowned but assented. He twisted to turn off the light and lay back down, turning on his side so he could snuggle up to Starfire. With a contented sigh he cupped her breast while she draped her arm across his ribs and her thigh across his.

Starfire stirred, rumbling a little purr. "Robin?"

"Yeah?"

"I feel… remiss."

"How so?"

"Everything we do together… I feel that… perhaps I am being selfish?"

That surprised him. "Selfish? How?"

"You rub my… sweet spot, as you call it. I get kisses and touches and you seem to get very little in return."

He wasn't entirely sure why she made it sound like a bad thing. "Kissing and touching you is amazing. Especially since kissing isn't part of your culture. I love your noises, the way you move, the way you hold me. I like exploring you."

"Perhaps…" She swallowed and pressed on. "Is there anything I can do that would bring you pleasure?"

_Yesyesyesyesyesyesyes_, his hormones cried. "Uhhh," his mouth said.

"Please?" she asked and slipped out from under his arms. She rolled onto her side, propped herself up on her arm and placed a hand on his stomach. She applied a little pressure and he rolled onto his back.

"Ahh…"

"I wish to make you feel good," she said, her fingers heading downward.

"You do make me feel good," he replied and caught her hand. "Star… ahh… the problem with that… not that I don't want you to, but it's just… if…" he gulped. "If you start, I'm not going to want you to stop."

"Very well," she murmured.

He sighed and released her fingers.

"I shall not stop," she said, sounding cheeky and placed her hand directly on the bulge in his pants.

Robin gasped and jerked at the contact, especially when Starfire squeezed. "Wait, wait."

"You do not wish for this?" Starfire asked, perplexed.

"Yeah, I do. It's just… you know what's going to happen, right?"

"If I do this right, you will ejaculate."

Damn, there were times he appreciated her bluntness and times where it shocked the hell out of him. He wasn't sure which one he was. "Um… yeah…"

Starfire dropped her voice to a husky whisper. "I did the looking of it up on the internet since I was not certain how like a Tamaranian male you were. The place called Wikipedia was most enlightening… if a little… um… graphic."

He chuckled. "Yeah, that place can be bad."

"There were _videos_," she whispered in mock horror.

Robin wrinkled his nose and made a mental note to lock Wiki from their internet browsers. "Gross."

"It was most disturbing. Educational, but disturbing." She dug her fingers into the belt of his pants and tugged. Robin lifted up a little so she could pull them away.

"So, how much like a Tamaranian male am I?" he asked as he struggled to get his feet through the pants.

Starfire shifted so she was kneeling level with his hip, her fingers marking trails against his thighs. She lit her other hand with a starbolt, and Robin saw her studying him as she brushed against him with the tips of her fingers. "Our species are very similar in regard to manual stimulation, as you have just discovered yourself… What is this called— the hand job?"

"That's one of its names, yes."

"Tamaranian males are apparently a lot less… sensitive… and they do not have their… you call them testicles?"

"Yeah."

"They do not have them on the outside."

"They don't?"

"They are quite sensitive, yes?" she asked, illustrating by brushing her fingertips against his balls. "Pleasure as well as pain?"

Robin closed his eyes. "Yeeeeah."

"Then why keep them on the outside where they can be damaged?"

"It has a lot to do with temperature, I think."

Her fingertips brushed against his length and he moaned as she gripped him. "I will need some guidance."

Robin swallowed. "Um… yeah. Okay. Um…"

"Too hard?" Starfire questioned. She released him, let her starbolt die and shifted so she was stretched out beside him, then tried again.

"No, that's perfect. Just… sort of slide your hand slowly up and down… yeah… like that."

Wanting to do something with his hands, (beyond putting them up behind his head smug that he was getting a hand job) he cupped her breast, then slid one hand up her back, heading for her neck. She twisted, preventing him. "No," she murmured. "If you do that I will be unable to do this for you, it is my turn."

"Oh." Fine, play with the breasts. Even if she doesn't get anything out of it, he certainly did. Closing his eyes to enjoy her ministrations, he kissed her neck before he rested against her nape.

"This is good?"

"Very," he said, feeling gaspy.

"Am I not supposed to go faster?"

"Ahh, you could, I suppose, but this feels great. It's not always about speed."

"Oh. Just the rhythm?"

"Yeah… _oh_…"

Starfire had chanced positioning of her hand, using her fingertips to caress along the shaft while her palm bumped against the head. She jumped at his sudden moan and released him. "My apologies—"

"Don't stop. Do that again."

She hesitated a moment, then returned to what she was doing. "This?"

He moaned into her neck again. "_Yeah_."

It was brilliant, and sexy and amazing all in one. She wasn't practiced as she stroked him and that didn't matter in the slightest. He squeezed her breasts, open mouthed kisses on her neck. Before long, there was a telltale tightening from down below. "Careful, I'm close—"

She shifted her grip again, long but very deliberate strokes, increasing the speed. He reached up with both hands and cupped her face, pulling her down for disjointed kiss that didn't last half as long as he wanted before he threw back his head, his breath coming in sharp pants. He thrust his hips up as he came, shuddering and gasping and feeling incredible.

She gave him a few more strokes before he had to pull her hand away. Since he still had one hand on her face, he kissed her again, messy and incoherent as he calmed down. He was aware of the sticky warmth against his stomach and how gross that would be if she connected with it, so he pulled away and reached for the tissues he kept in his bedside drawer.

Starfire gave a smug and satisfied little noise when he rolled back to gather her in his arms. Robin chuckled. "Well, aren't you a proud little thing."

"It was good, yes?"

"Better than good. Amazing. You're wonderful."

She nipped his neck, bit his shoulder before she rested her head on his chest. "I am glad."

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Note:<em>**

_Seriously. Don't go to Wiki. -shudder-  
><em>


	4. Fourth

**Fourth**.

"I have to _what_?"

Starfire flushed and looked at the ground. She scuffed her toe against the carpet of his room as she sat beside him dejectedly.

Robin shifted position on his bed so he could look at her more. "Don't you think you could've mentioned this sooner?

She looked up at him meekly through her eyelashes. "I thought… perhaps… I could ignore my natural instinct… but…"

"You can't?"

"It appears not." She hid behind her hair. "I apologise."

"But… we've been doing so well! Can't I just— I don't know, get you incredibly aroused and go from there?"

"I would fight you when the moment came."

"Are you sure?"

"Robin… yes. You saw what happened last night and we were not even close."

"But—"

"I am told it is just the first time," she said, demure and apologetic. She wouldn't look at him, she was so embarrassed. "I was hoping, since you were not Tamaranian, that the instinct would not arise."

"Geez."

"If you would prefer not to..." she sighed and hugged her arms to herself.

"I want to. I do. I just… I never thought…" he sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Honestly, it'll feel a little like I was forcing you."

Starfire blinked in surprise. "It would?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

He arched an eyebrow at her. "Defeating you in hand to hand combat, holding you down and penetrating you? And you're fighting tooth and nail not to let it happen? Yeah, that'd feel like I was forcing you."

"It will not be like that, I assure you. Yes, during the combat it may, but when you beat me and I begin to purr, I promise it will not feel like you are forcing me."

Robin scoffed, he couldn't help it. "When? You mean, _if_."

"Robin—"

"How am I supposed to beat you in unarmed combat? You're stronger than I am. There's a limit to what I can deflect."

"You are the strongest and most disciplined person I know," Starfire mentioned. "If I thought you could not be able to, we never would have made it this far. I would never have given you the false hope."

"Small comfort." Robin sighed. "Things I do for love."

By Starfire's expression, that was the wrong thing to say. "I will not apologise for the frustration my culture inflicts upon you," she snapped, indignant.

"My culture frustrates you just as much," he replied. "Look, I'm sorry. That came out wrong."

She huffed at him and crossed her arms on her chest.

"Star, I want to make love with you, not… battle it out in some epic tradition and _win_ your virginity from you. You're sure it's just the first time?"

She nodded. "It is something every partner must do."

Robin frowned. "So… if you were to take a different lover…"

"They would still have to defeat me. It is my body's way of ensuring strong offspring. Your scent would become ingrained with mine, I would always recognise you as a strong mate."

A nasty thought crossed his mind and he had to voice it. "This isn't going to make you pregnant, is it?"

"There have been cases… I shall go on birth control."

"Okay." He swallowed. "Is it going to hurt you? I mean, not the fighting part, because I get that's going to hurt, but the sex?"

Starfire looked away. "Possibly."

He sighed. "Great. So not only do I practically have to force you, it's going to hurt too."

"I am sorry…"

He sighed again and ran his hand through his hair, it sticking up oddly because he'd been doing it so much lately. When his hand was though his hair, he rubbed the back of his neck. "Well… if we're going to do this… we can't do it here. I'd rather not have to explain it to the others."

She nodded and lifted one leg so she could hug it to her chest. "Robin, once we start, we are committed. You will have to…"

"I get it."

"I am sorry."

"Shh," he murmured, wrapping his arm around her. "It's cool. All the cultural barriers we've had to get past, it's not surprising there's one more."

"We do not have to—"

"You just said the instinct was hard to ignore. Judging from your reaction last night, I can't even… give you an orgasm without it rising, can I?"

She shook her head. "It appears not."

"And it's just the first time, right? The rest… it'll be normal?"

She nodded.

He sighed. "Well, I don't think there's anyone alive that's had a first time they wanted. So I'll deal. We'll just aim for a good second time."

She nodded again, still sad.

"You do want this, right?" he asked, making sure. "You're ready for sex?"

"Apparently my body is," she muttered.

"That's not what I asked."

"I desire you," she said.

He grinned in spite of himself. "I desire you too."

"But I am frightened."

He sighed and placed his hand on her back. "Yeah. Me too. Um… what about oral?"

She cocked her head at him. "Oral what?"

"Oral sex."

Now she blanched and shrivelled away. "Robin—" She flicked her eyes down and then back up again. "I am not certain I can put my mouth on you."

Damn. "That's not what I mean. I meant on you. Maybe if… I mean, if I'm not close, and my head is down there—"

She crossed her legs and looked uncomfortable.

"Guess that answers that," he muttered, disheartened.

"I am sorry," she mumbled. "I can try to become… comfortable with the idea. Or comfortable enough that we may attempt it. Truly… I do not know how I feel…"

He sighed. "Okay. That's all I can ask for."

"It could just be that was the first time we have had actual sexual contact," she said, clearing groping for explanations.

"You think if we try again, we might be able to get further?"

"It remains a possibility." She cleared her throat and said uncertainly, "There also may be a way to circumvent it."

"Oh?"

"If we… are quick enough… when the instinct arises, I may be able to restrain myself long enough for you to…"

"Ahh… Or, I could just slip you a Mickey and do you while you sleep."

She shot him a glance, realised he was joking and shoved at him. He grabbed her wrist and fell backward, pulling her on top of him and then slipped his hand to her sweet spot. As she purred and rubbed her face against his neck, he thought it over. "Are you sure that'll work?"

"I am told… once penetration occurs the battle instinct wanes… but I am unsure."

"It's just penetration, right? I don't actually have to… finish? Cause I really don't think I'll be able to do that if you're fighting me."

She looked started. "_X'hal_… I do not… I do not believe so… I shall find out."

"Please do."

"It would be awful if I continued to fight you."

"We'll… just have to wait and see, I guess. I don't want to do anything until you're definitely on birth control and we've talked about this more."

She nodded.

Starfire turned eighteen not long after Robin did (approximately in Earthen years, although she said she was nine Tamaranian years), her birthday landing in June that year. They had another party, Robin tried to give her the special second gift she'd given him on his birthday, and they got further than they had before her instinct had risen and he'd been forced to back away before she lost control.

They did make an attempt at oral, much to Robin's delight. He almost came the moment she placed her mouth over him, but ultimately it simply made Starfire far too uncomfortable. She let him try on her but she couldn't relax and was actually quite upset that she couldn't do that for him, or let him do that on her. Robin was glad she tried and soothed her as best he could, saying it wasn't that big of a deal, just something else to try.

Things were getting busy in the Tower though, Robin had started correspondence courses from College and was busy designing his Nightwing costume with the help of Alfred and Starfire was taking on more diplomatic responsibilities from Tamaran and trying to find her place on Earth. She still wasn't sure what she wanted to do, which career path she wanted to take and Robin could tell it was weighing on her heavily.

Although they'd taken to sleeping in the same bed at night so they'd have some time together, the long making out sessions of the past seemed to be taking a backburner. More, it was becoming a quick sort of frenzy, manual stimulation for him, an attempt for her that wasn't as satisfying to either of them as the hours of kissing had been. They were very quick to reach that point where she was stimulating him, rather than heightening anticipation.

But when it came down to doing the actual deed, they both baulked.

While they were pretty sure the other Titans already thought they were doing it, there was the issue that neither of them really wanted to lose their virginity in the Tower. They'd been interrupted so many times by a Titan alert or the other Titans, it was disheartening to think they might be interrupted during their first time too. But… booking a hotel somewhere, or slipping off for some public sex didn't sit well with either of them, and would ultimately be bad for wherever they were, depending on how strong Starfire's mating instinct was. Especially since she accidently broke Robin's bed. That had been embarrassing to explain.

They both wanted it to be special too, as special as it could be anyway, not some quickie or a spur of the moment thing. It was a big step.

But planning it was worse. So embarrassing, discussing what how they were going to accomplish the sex part. Their relationship was stalling because of the instinct. Robin was starting to feel as though he shouldn't even bother pleasing her because of it, and he hated that he felt that way, especially because he liked pleasing her.

But Starfire didn't seemed to want to discuss it. The fact that she had to call Galfore and ask about the mating instinct was embarrassing enough, Robin stood beside her, holding her hand and giving her moral support while she flushed and stumbled in explaining why she was calling. Galfore's eye grew wide, his gaze shifting to Robin, who shrivelled under the penetrating stare. As Galfore continued to stare, Robin started babbling about how he'd never hurt Starfire, he loved her and wanted to be with her and oh please don't kill him. Galfore narrowed his eye, then promised to send her information.

They read it through together, discovering that it was just penetration, not a completed sexual event, which was a relief for both of them. There was advice on how to accomplish it too, which Robin concentrated on.

Starfire was frightened, Robin could tell that. Worried that she wouldn't be able to control herself. But they still really couldn't talk about it. Eventually, Robin just bit the bullet.

"I can't do this anymore," he told her one morning as they dressed.

Starfire dropped her boot, startled and shocked. She lifted her head to stare at him. "What?"

"I can't be with you with this whole mating instinct looming over us."

Her expression went miserable. "Oh," she mumbled, dejected.

"Pack your bags," he said, aware that she'd misunderstood him.

Tears welled. "But—"

He grinned at her. "We're going camping. We'll get it out of the way, then we can get back on track."

Relief and fear shone in her eyes. "You did that deliberately."

He laughed. "Yeah. Had to. Sorry."

"Are you certain?"

"I love you," he said. "You love me. But this instinct is messing with things. Even if we don't have sex afterward, we need to get the first time done."

She nodded and offered him a tentative smile.

It took a couple of days to organise, of course. Finding the perfect forest to go camping where no one else would be around. Getting all the gear together. A very large first aid kit, just in case. Talking Cyborg into letting them borrow the T-Ship and disabling the GPS locator.

Both of them were incredibly nervous, but there was a little bit of excitement too. A challenge. And as Robin told himself, it was just the once. He could handle just the once. There'd be a sense of pride too. Maybe. Hopefully. There was a nagging little itch that perhaps she wouldn't be so easy to subdue, especially if she used her full strength on him. And another nagging little itch involved him not being able to keep it up while fighting her for quick penetration.

There were a lot of what ifs in this whole situation.

As they packed up the T-Ship, food supplies for a week, a few tents, (just in case one was destroyed), they ignored the ribbings from Beast Boy and Cyborg about a romantic getaway. Robin just endured it, it's not like he could say, "No, we're going to go beat the crap out of each other just so I do her." That would have gone down so well.

They landed out in the middle of nowhere in a national park. There wasn't anyone within a hundred miles, Robin had done a heat sweep in the T-Ship, just to be sure, since neither of them really knew what'd happen. They'd dressed in civvies, rather than uniform, just in case people saw them, but then Starfire was pretty hard to hide anyway.

Robin set up a tent while Starfire gathered up firewood, both of them resolutely not looking at each other. They hadn't really talked about it at all the last few days, in fact, they really hadn't talked about much. As night fell, they were sitting on opposite side of the fire, staring into the flames. Starfire had found two large fallen trees, already dead, which she carved up so they could have some log seats. Robin cooked dinner on a frying pan over some coals. Potatoes wrapped in foil and some steaks. Just something simple.

Every time their eyes met, one of them would immediately look away. Awkwardness filled the air like it never had before. Robin was wishing he didn't know what was going to happen while they were out here, that they could just go with the flow, a spur of the moment sort of thing. He didn't know where to start. Poor Starfire didn't look like she wanted to be here at all.

Starfire blushed orange as she took her plate from him, and then hid behind a wall of hair. They ate their meals in silence, still not looking at each other.

"Okay, this is getting ridiculous," Robin muttered. Putting aside his plate, he headed for the food storage, rummaging through until he found the marshmallows. Starfire couldn't resist these. He located the cooking fork, stuck a couple of marshmallows on the prongs and held it over the coals.

Starfire raised her head, her eyes fixed on the marshmallows.

"Best thing about camping," Robin said, keep his tone light, "are the melted marshmallows." He withdrew the fork and tested the marshmallow, then ate all of them while Starfire watched, replacing them with unmelted ones. "We had a monkey at the circus that used to steal them from the children. He could smell them a mile away. The trainers had to bribe him with them at the end of each performance or he'd go into the crowd watching to find them. Of course, the ringmaster decided it would be pretty damn funny to include him in a comedy act with me, since I was the smallest and apparently part monkey myself."

"Oh?"

"We had to play chase. He'd attach a couple of marshmallows to my belt and I had to lead the Poko through an obstacle course. If he caught me, he could have the marshmallows."

"Did he catch you?" Starfire asked, placing her elbows on her knees and resting her chin on her palms as she watched him intently.

Robin grinned and winked at her. "Nope. Too good for him."

"How old were you?"

"Four. Too young for the trapeze yet, at least in public performances, but too talented to waste. I got to dress up in a costume and leap around and show off, and have this cheeky monkey chase me. We did that act until I was nearly seven, then my parent decided it was time to include me in the trapeze. As long as there was net. Even then, Poko and I still did our chase act."

"Did you enjoy your time at the circus?"

"There's no place like it," he said. "The freedom, the people. Being in the spotlight, different town every week. Gasps from the crowd, feeling invincible. Popcorn. Family."

"Do you think you would like to go back one day?"

Robin shrugged and checked on the next batch of marshmallows. "For a visit? Or for good?"

"Either?"

Robin proceeded to eat the melted marshmallows and set up another batch, wondering how long it would take for Starfire to fold. "Maybe to Haley's, although I don't know that there's anything left for me. I still have a couple of friends at Haley's. Visit, maybe, but I can't see myself staying. I kind of like the fact that what I have at the moment is permanent. Sometimes life on the road just gets tedious, not knowing where you'll wake up in the morning, which town you'll be in next, whether or not you have time to make friends outside the circus. I used to try, you know."

"Making friends?"

"Yeah. For a while it was good, but it just got… sad… I never spent long enough in one place to make any lasting impression on anyone. Most of the kids just liked me 'cause I could get them free tickets."

"Would you take me to see your circus, Robin?"

Robin raised his eyebrow. "You'd like to see them?"

"I would. If you would share them with me."

"Next time they're close to Jump, we'll go."

Starfire beamed at him, the firelight flickering on her face.

Robin lifted the cooking fork away from the flame, checking whether they were ready yet.

"Are you going to share those?" Starfire asked, pointing at the marshmallows.

Robin waved the cooking fork at her. "These?"

"Yes."

"Nope. They're mine."

She pouted but Robin just slowly pulled the marshmallows off the fork, one by one, taunting her with them as he did so. "Delicious," he teased.

Starfire pounced, but Robin was quicker, catching her one handed and holding the fork away so she couldn't get it (and he wouldn't stab her with it). Arm around her back, he rolled off the log, dragging her with him. They tussled for a moment before he pinned her against the ground. "Hi there. Fancy meeting you here."

Starfire giggled at him. Robin nudged her legs apart and settled his weight over her as he went in for a kiss. Starfire's eyes grew wide and she gasped. "Now?" she questioned, sounding scared.

"Stop thinking," he murmured, rubbing his nose against hers. "Just kiss me and we'll see where it takes us."

It was different and that was okay. There was just enough light from the fire to see her face, to read the signals. There was purpose in Robin's kiss, in his touch as he rubbed her sweet spot, designed to relax her, distract her from what he was doing. It took a long time for Starfire to relax, they made out until night had completely fallen and the fire dimmed to coals, but eventually she did. Clothes were stripped away so stealthily, Robin wasn't even sure Starfire was really aware she was naked. She was working on his clothing, less subtly of course.

He was getting nervous as he tried to read her reactions. He was deliberately steering clear of touching her between the legs with his hand, in case that set her off, but he wasn't entirely sure where to go from here. If he should just spring it on her, or show her what he was going to do and see if she could control her reaction for long enough.

Mostly, he just wasn't sure how to approach this, but it seemed he'd run out of time. Starfire's purring stuttered and she stiffened. She bucked, her back arching from the ground, until only her shoulders and ass were supporting her. Her arms shot up, gripping the log above her head and Robin heard the wood crunch. Opening her eyes, they lit up the surrounding area and she snarled at him, an actual full throated snarl, nothing like the rumbling snarls she'd given him as a warning this was coming before. The only time he'd heard her snarl like that before was at Kitten.

"Shit," he muttered as she wrapped her legs around his waist and squeezed. She held him away from her, her knees and thighs keeping him from moving in closer or backing away completely. And it Hurt. Like. Hell. He felt his bottom ribs creak and was momentarily thankful her hands were still occupied.

Then they weren't anymore and he was deflecting blows. He reared back, balancing on his knees to avert her strength. Blocking would have hurt, but he knew he could place his hands on the inside of her wrists and roll her hits away. He could tell she was struggling with herself, trying to contain her strength, but he also knew she probably wouldn't be able give him enough time to do what needed to be done.

Especially since he couldn't move his hips, forward or backward. He dug an elbow into the inside of her knee, still deflecting her blows with one hand, but she wouldn't release him. She was using her flight, enabling her to follow his movement easily. He couldn't twist away, couldn't get an angle on her to hit her back, constantly warding off strikes. His wrists hurt, his upper arm would have bruises, as would his hips.

It was like trying to contain a vicious, hissing cat. She was snarling in Tamaranian and he was very grateful he could only pick up a few of the words, what she was saying didn't sound at all Starfire like. Not his sweet, innocent girl. She reminded him of the warrior princess she'd been when he'd first met her. Not that Starfire ever lost that personality, he knew, she just didn't use it often.

Eyes shining green, she head butted him, Robin losing his balance in the haze of pain and fell over backward. Somewhere in the fall, Starfire's hands found his neck.

The mood changed, it was no longer about sex, not for him. He could already feel blood draining away from that vital area. Panic settled into his belly, flooding him with adrenaline. Now it was about surviving.

As she squeezed his neck, he vaguely noted her legs weren't constricting him anymore, which meant if he could get free from this, he'd be able to… run? Hide? Cause he certainly couldn't do anything else. He'd lost that window of opportunity.

There was a log, just within reach, if he stretched. He extended his right hand while his left tried to pry her hands away from his neck. A part of his brain registered she wasn't using her complete strength on him, or he'd be dead by now. Spots danced in front of his eyes, but his fingers closed around the log. Steeling himself, he hit her with it as hard as he could.

Starfire yowled and rolled off him and Robin took the opportunity to leap to his feet, grab his jeans and bolt for the cover of darkness in the surrounding forest. Several starbolts smashed through the air, hitting trunks of trees around him. He dove behind a bush, scrambled to put his jeans on. Panting lightly, he hid, watching through the foliage.

Starfire floated, shining brightly, both hands lit with starbolts as she searched for him. She snarled out a string of Tamaranian words, the scorn evident in her tone.

He rubbed his neck, just watching as she floated away, still hunting. It had been close, so close, but he guessed at least now he knew what to expect. That'd help for next time…

If Starfire could handle a next time. If _he_ could…

Starfire dropped, stumbling as she landed, her starbolts extinguishing.

"Robin?" she called, sounding scared. "Robin?"

Robin hesitated, not sure if this was a ploy or she'd returned to her senses. It took a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the moonlight, watching her closely as he tried to figure out if he should come out from hiding. He fingered the small vial in the pocket of his jeans.

She whirled, twisting this way and that, her hands lighting up again as she held them over her head to see. "Robin? Robin!" She turned panicked, tears falling from her eyes as she spun around. "Oh, no, please! _Dick_! Where are you?"

"I'm here," he called, picking himself up from his hiding place. He edged out warily, keeping a watch on her.

Starfire took several rapid steps toward him, then stopped, looking fearful. A starbolt held aloft, she reached out her other hand toward him. "Did I hurt you?"

"I'm okay," he lied and held out his arms. Starfire hiccupped and rushed into them, murmuring apologies.

Attempt one - Epic fail.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's note:<strong>_

_... what?  
><em>

_First times suck anyway._

_A side note: Most female felines need to be held down for pentration each time they have sex. The male will bite the back of her neck to keep her docile while he does the deed, if he doesn't she'll fight him. So this was adapted from that a litte.  
><em>


	5. Fourth  take two

**Fourth – take two.**

Robin soothed Starfire as best he could. "Star, it's okay, really—"

"There are handprints on your throat which deem otherwise," she snapped, anguish making her voice sharp. Dressed again, she paced in tight circles on the opposite side of the fire from him, determined to keep her distance. "My handprints. I could have killed you."

"But you didn't."

"Oh, Robin, I have been so frightened about this and whether or not I could hold myself back and if you would be able to do what needed to be done. I did not wish to tell you, but there have been cases of a partner dying and I am so much stronger than you." There were tears in her eyes.

He nodded. "I figured that part out."

One of the tears spilled over, dripping down her cheek. "It seems we cannot do this."

"Star, it was just an attempt. Now we both know what's going to happen. Don't give up just because I fucked this one up."

Starfire wrapped her arms around herself. "No. Not again. I cannot. I do not wish to lose you. We shall just have to keep our relationship the way it is."

"No."

She stopped pacing and looked at him, startled. "No?"

"No," he repeated. He stood, walked around the fire to her and placed his hands on her upper arms to keep her still and facing him. "I love you, but I'm not satisfied with the way things are right now. It's not very fair to you, or me, having to pull away. I want to be able to make you come too. I want to be able to give you all the amazing pleasure you can give me. I want to see your face flush, make you moan and writhe."

She looked anguished. "But Robin—"

"No buts," he said, stern. "I know what I'm up against now."

"But—"

He tried to alleviate with some humour. "And I have a couple of tricks up my sleeve. I'm the Boy Wonder after all."

She blinked. "Tricks?"

"I was pretty sure the first time we tried this would be a bust. I have shackles in the T-Ship. And a couple of other back up plans... I did exactly what I thought I'd have to do if the worst came to the worst. I vanished and waited until you calmed down. Now, we can talk about how to approach this."

"Shackles?" she blurted, startled.

"I don't want to have to tie you down, Star," he murmured, cupping her cheek. "Because that would definitely feel like rape for me. But if I have to… I want us to have the option. If it makes you feel better."

"Oh. But what about you?" she asked. "You said you became flaccid rather quickly, what if—"

He wiped her tear with his thumb. "A quick trip to the Batcave and raid Bruce's little blue pill stash will fix that. It's called Viagra and it'll make me erect even if I don't want to be. Don't worry. Give me this week, Star. Let's not stop because of one bad attempt. Learning to fly together took a while, remember?"

She shifted her weight from side to side.

"Give me a chance," he implored.

"I will not be able to relax," she mumbled.

Robin grinned. "Was that a challenge? You know I can't resist a challenge."

She narrowed her eyes at him.

He dropped his hands from her arms, took hers and tugged them free, placing them on his hips. "I love you," he said, stepping a little closer and lifted both his hands to the back of her neck. "Give me a chance."

She sighed as he manipulated her sweet spot, folding against him. "Robin…" she murmured, her tone soft and he could tell he was winning her over.

"Please?" he asked, kissing her neck. "I know what I have to do. Not tonight, because I think nerves are a little frayed. But let me try again."

She sighed again. "Very well."

He pecked her lips and cuddled her. "It'll be okay," he murmured into her neck.

She sighed a third time, wrapping her arms around him and held on. "I hope so."

He pulled away and found her hands. "I owe you some marshmallows."

She smiled. "Yes. You do."

They snuggled that night, wrapped up in each other's arms, relaxing as friends and sharing marshmallows. They stargazed, Robin explaining the various constellations and the history behind their names and Starfire naming the actual star systems right down to the life present within those systems.

They went hiking the next day, Robin had spotted several romantic locations around the place when he'd chosen this particular place to camp. One in particular was about three hours hike (or ten minutes if Starfire flew) from their camp. And he made them walk.

"Why are we walking?" Starfire asked eventually as Robin helped her scramble over a fallen log.

"Think of all the wonderful things we miss on the ground by flying. Like the chipmunks before. Or the deer. Or—" he stopped down, plucking one of the wildflowers that were littered around the forest floor and offered it to her, "—the flowers."

She smiled as he tucked it behind her ear. "Yes, they are most beautiful. And the chipmunks were adorable."

"Sometimes the simplest pleasures can be found in finding the place on your own."

"The journey and not the destination?"

He grinned. "Well, there is that, but the destination is the reason for the journey, don't discount it. The people you share the journey with."

"You are most philosophical today."

He laughed. "Yeah. I guess. It's just nice that we're doing something different together. Normal. Things have been so hectic lately, it's nice to slow down."

"And… smell the roses?"

He lifted her hand to kiss the back. "Yes. Do you hear water?"

Starfire stilled, listening intently. "Yes!" She bounced up and down on the spot.

Robin grinned. "Race you."

It would have worked, except he refused to let go of her hand as he bounded through the woodlands, feeling as playful as a puppy. Giggling joyously, she lifted into the air and let him pull her along. "You cheater," he called. "Letting me do all the work."

"And you are not doing the cheating?"

"Nope."

They emerged from the woodlands and Starfire sucked in a gasp of breath. Robin pulled her until they stood at the bank of the secluded pool of water and released her hand.

The colour ranged from so crystal clear they could see the little fish searching through the pebbles, to a deep aquamarine where the water deepened. A limestone cliff face enclosed the pool, woodland trees at the top, delivered a single stream of waterfall that kept the pool filled. There were scattered trees growing from cracks in the limestone wall itself, shrouding the whole area in green. It was peaceful, the small spray of the waterfall, the pool was small, no more than maybe a hundred feet to the waterfall itself.

Starfire sighed in delight at the hidden hovel. "Oh, Robin."

Removing his backpack of food and supplies, he left it at the base of a tree. "Nice, huh? These parks are full of secluded locations like this. I would have made camp here, except there was nowhere to park the T-Ship."

"It is glorious."

"I brought us lunch and snacks and stuff, but I figured we'd spend a couple of hours swimming."

"Are we in danger of being spied upon?"

He shook his head as he crouched down to open his pack. "Nope. No one within a hundred miles, I checked the T-Ship logs. Wh—"

Starfire's shirt landed on his head, flopping over his face. By the time he got out from under it and turned around, she was naked, her clothes having not even hit the ground yet and running into the water giggling. She ran until she was thigh deep then dove. When she surfaced much further into the pool, she giggled madly.

She stood, throwing back her hair and smiled at him. "Are you coming?"

Robin laughed and sat on the sandy bank to remove his shoes.

Starfire sank down until her nose was just above the surface of the water, slowly kicking backward until she was into the aquamarine section as she watched him remove all his clothes. Retrieving the small vial from his pocket, his insurance policy, he ducked his head through the chain and let it hang on his chest.

Grinning at her, he completely ignored her as he waded into the water, then dove, swimming toward the small cliff. He studied the dark water beneath him as he treaded. "How deep do you reckon it is here?" he asked, taking a deep breath and then sank below the water to see if he could reach the bottom. After a few long moments, he decided it was deep enough to dive.

He kicked upward again, then swam to the waterfall and the limestone cliff face.

"What are you doing?" Starfire asked as he started to scale the face.

"Diving," he called reaching for another hand hold. Hoisting himself up, he stretched out a foot and nimbly leapt from on section of the limestone to another. He made short work of the wall itself, it wasn't as difficult as the walls he'd had to scale as a child.

Starfire was treading water, watching him from below.

Robin blew her a kiss and swan dove off the rock wall and into the water. He hit the water with a splash, sunk below the surface and curved, swimming toward where he could see Starfire's legs treading to keep her afloat. Feeling mischievous, he gripped her ankle and yanked. He heard her yelp from below the water, grinning at the incredulous look on her face as she spotted him and then swam to the surface. "Hi," he said, cheeky when they surfaced.

She spluttered and huffed. "What was that for?"

He shrugged. "Why not? Do you want to dive too?"

She shook her head. "It seems like it would be a most pointless exercise for me," she said. "Although, I am not averse to watching you."

Robin laughed.

He showed off for a while, well, how could he not with such a captive (and admiring) audience as his girlfriend. He dove beneath the water, teased her with a hand up her leg as he surfaced and then swam back to the wall to climb again.

Starfire floated in the water and they talked about mundane things, teasing each other and flirting as the sun rose higher in the sky. Hungry, they returned to the water's edge to feast on the sandwiches Robin had prepared. He spread a blanket on the bank so they could lie on it and sunbathe, although he made sure to apply another coating of sunscreen (only as directed, it wouldn't do to burn after all). He lamented that he'd never be able to rub sunscreen into her, not like she could do for him.

After lunch, Robin moved the blanket so it followed the shade of the tree and they sprawled out together eating fruit. It was peaceful and relaxed and Robin was feeling decided lazy, not to mention constantly half aroused by the naked sight of his girlfriend.

"This was a glorious idea," she murmured, her face uplifted as she caught a patch of sunlight that trickled between the leaves.

"It was," he agreed.

"So, are you going to tell me what that vial is for?" she asked, indicating the chain around his neck.

Robin laughed. "Nope. Later."

She looked put out, but didn't press.

Robin removed one of his hands from where it pillowed his head and placed it on her back. Starfire looked over her shoulder at him and smiled.

"C'mere you," he murmured, gripping her arm and pulling her down to him.

She came willing, although her face twisted in apprehension for a moment. "Robin—"

"Shut up and kiss me," he murmured, pulling her so she was lying down and their chests were half together, legs entwined. He captured her mouth with his lips, stroking her sweet spot with his hand while the other ran down her back to squeeze her ass.

It took a little while for her to start purring, but he persisted, his hand stroking and soothing, up and down the length of her body, teasing her special locations, while simultaneously caressing her sweet spot. He kept his attentions lazy, undemanding, just kissing and touching her. If something happened, then it happened, otherwise he was content to kiss her.

Nibbles on her lips, sucking on her top one as things began to get a little heated, her hands stroking down his chest more, resting against his stomach and he could tell she was itching to go lower. Mouths opened further, tongues stroked hesitantly together, but not much because she still wasn't comfortable with that and it made her think more than he wanted her to.

Robin slipped a hand down from her head, gripping her ribs with both hands and lifted her so she was straddling him. She shuddered as they brushed together. "It is coming," she whispered.

"I know," he replied. "It's okay."

"Robin—"

"I love you," he murmured and deliberately touched her between the legs.

She gasped a groan, an odd sort of sound, before she lifted her hips up a little to give him better access. He watched her face closely as he played, waiting for that moment when she'd turn. She was fighting it, he could tell by her expression. He could also tell, by the way her hips were shifting lower, that she was hoping he'd enter before her instinct completely took her.

Good idea.

Robin sat up, gripped the back of Starfire's neck and rolled them so she was beneath him. As before, the instant his hips shifted toward hers, Starfire gave that deep throated snarl, her grip tightening to stranglehold and he felt her nails claw his back as her eyes flashed green. However, unlike before, Robin was ready for it. Ignoring the pain in his back, his hand went straight to the vial around his neck and flicked the stopper, lifting it up to Starfire's face.

It was like he'd flicked a switch, she went instantly docile, her face relaxed and calm, her body completely limp and she purred. Her arms flopped from his back and onto the ground. Moving slowly, Robin positioned himself correctly, then pinned both her wrists to the ground above her head with one hand. Taking a deep breath, he closed the vial, adding more strength against her wrists, not that it would last long. It took a moment for her to come to her senses, going from purring drunken kitty cat, back to his Starfire. She blinked at him, frowning a little. "Huh?"

"Ready?" he asked.

She stiffened, her eye went wide and flicked green. "Go," she gasped as her hands curled into fists and he felt her begin to strain against his hands.

"Sorry," he said and shoved forward.

Starfire cried out, a hoarse sounding call. Her body seized up, everything stiff.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he murmured, caught between making sure she wasn't going to kill him, making sure she was okay, and trapped within the feeling of just how fucking good it felt. She was so tight and wet and warm. "Star?"

She opened her eyes, blinked back tears and relaxed beneath him. "I am okay."

He released her wrists, sinking down until their chests were pressed together. "You all here?" he murmured, and wiped away a tear. "Not going to try and kill me?"

She shook her head. "The instinct appears satisfied. Did I damage you?"

He kissed her cheek. "I'm fine."

She frowned. "Um… may I ask… what was that smell?"

Robin grinned. "Concentrated catnip."

Starfire stared at him. "What is catnip?"

"It's a plant cats here go nuts over. It's like a drug for them, makes them relaxed. Beast Boy goes crazy whenever Raven teases him with it and I noticed you getting a little dreamy eyed whenever it was in season, so I thought it would work on you too."

"You _drugged_ me?"

The smile faded. "No! I just… wanted to distract you for a moment. God, Star, I knew I wouldn't be able to fight you and… still… um… it would feel like I'm forcing you, it still felt like that a little. I just thought it could distract you long enough so I could… um… get in…"

She was still staring at him with this disbelieving expression.

He was suddenly realising how underhanded that was of him. She had this grand tradition and hormonal instinct and he just circumvented it by drugging her. "I'm so sorry," he blurted, feeling disgusted with himself. "I didn't mean… I just wanted— I thought it would be better than tying you down or beating you and— Star, I'm sorry, I never meant to—"

She placed her hand against his cheek. "That was clever of you."

"It was?" he asked, relieved.

"I wish I had known."

He stoked her hair away from her face, tucked it behind her head. "I wasn't sure it would work. I didn't want you to get your hopes up." He swallowed. "Are you okay? Down there? I'm sorry I was so quick, there wasn't time—"

"I know," she replied, her fingers stroking his cheek. "It hurts, but it is not the bad hurt."

He shifted his hands until they were flat on the ground and lifted away. "I'll get out."

"No," she complained, but he'd already pulled away. She pulled a face at him. "Robin," she complained, letting her tone show her feelings.

"Are you sure?"

She purred at him. "Yes."

Stretching out beside her, he placed his hand on her stomach. "We don't have to do this," he murmured. "It was only supposed to be because it was standing in the way."

She rolled onto her side to face him and placed her leg over his hip. "I want to. Do you?"

"I do." Robin adjusted his position until he was propped up on his elbow with his hand free and placed it behind her head. "Let me know when you're really ready," he said and kissed her.

Starfire purred and leant back into his hand, her shoulders flat on the blanket while her hips were still twisted. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him half on top of her and Robin chuckled. "Calm down, there's no rush."

"I simply—"

"I know I'm going to enjoy it," he murmured and slid a hand down her body. "I just want you to be able to as well. With the instinct out of the way, I can play properly. Now, shush, and let me do this."

She sighed and shifted her legs wider. One hand behind her head, gently manipulating the erogenous zones of a feisty Tamaranian princess, the other with its fingers inside her, gently exploring and mimicking thrusts, Robin kissed her, concentrating on bring her as much pleasure and relaxation as he could. He tried to ignore the blood he could see, vowing that they'd go swimming again and he'd clean her properly, but for now he just concentrated on making her feel good and learning. His oh so analytical mind judged every reaction she gave, compiling data and he concentrated on hitting those areas that made her react the most.

After a while, as she became panty and her kisses uncoordinated, he released her mouth and just watched her expressions, liking that she was thoroughly enjoying his attention. It was nice being able to touch her like this, play and learn, and not have to worry about her trying to pray mantis his head off.

When she turned her face away from him, arching her shoulders up at the same time and exposing the long line of her neck, Robin decided to lick and nibble his way up to her sweet spot, shifting his thumb away long enough to put his mouth there, and sucked on the skin.

The reaction in Starfire was instant and very erotic. Her back arched, her hands clenched, she became quite vocal in her cries. She thrashed, her hips thrusting against his hand and he felt a sudden pulsing around his fingers and a rush of heat and wet.

She collapsed backward and he slowed his fingers down to gentle brushes, helping her calm down. "Wow," he mumbled when she'd regained her breath, slowly retracting his hands and cupped her instead. "I thought I'd have to practice for ages before I managed to actually give you one."

She purred at him, unable to find the words. She nuzzled his shoulder with her nose, planting butterfly kisses against his skin, her hands patted his chest.

"Pretty strong erogenous zone," he murmured.

"Yes," she mumbled, slurring her word a little. "I did not expect… truly… that was…"

"Glorious?"

"Yes." Her sigh was one of pure delight.

He kissed her temple. "Time for a nap."

She jolted and flicked open her eyes. "What? No."

"No?"

"I wish to try the sex," she said, sounding a little pouty.

He mock yawned. "I'm tired."

She smacked his chest. "You are teasing."

"Yeah, a little. Are you hurting?"

"No, I feel glorious."

"We don't have to, if you're not ready. Only if you're really sure."

"I am really sure," she replied.

"I probably won't last long."

"Robin," she told him, stern, "Do the taking of me, please."

He chuckled. "Well, when you put it like _that_." He shifted so that he was kneeling and settled over her again while Starfire smiled at him, wrapping her legs around his hips and her hands on the small of his back. He reached down between them to position himself then eased forward.

Starfire whimpered, her hands clutching at him and he tried to be as gentle as he could. Ignoring the fact that it was practically the best thing he'd ever felt before and it was hard to find the restraint he needed to be slow.

"You okay?" he murmured once he was buried inside.

Her hands rested on the small of his back. "Yes. It hurts a little, but I can feel myself stretching."

"Okay…" She was lying, just a little, he could tell by the stiffness in her. But he'd let that slide. Resting his weight on one elbow, he stroked his hand down her leg from buttocks to knee so he could adjust her position so her legs were wider in the hope it would help. "Just tell me when you're comfortable."

"Does it feel good?" she asked, curious.

"Good in an understatement. It feels wonderful. I can feel every move you make. You're so warm and amazing." He pressed his lips to her nose. "Does it feel good for you?"

She considered. "I feel… full?"

He chuckled. "That's a nice ego boost."

She giggled.

"Oh, hey now, stop that," Robin said, gasping as her laughter sent a ripple of pleasure through him.

Starfire giggled again and squirmed beneath him, rocking her hips and Robin dropped his head to the nape of her neck, groaning. Starfire cooed at him, holding onto the back of his neck. "You can move," she whispered.

He lifted his head up, hovering it above hers and placed both palms on the sides of her head, so he could watch her expression to make sure she wasn't hurting as he gave an experimental flex of his hips. He groaned and just had to do it again, a little deeper this time, a little further.

Starfire smiled as he lost himself in her and the in the rhythm of his thrusts, it was obvious she was enjoying watching his expressions, the movements themselves were appearing to arouse her too, which thrilled him. She'd lost that uncomfortable stiffness to her, her body moving with his, stroking and pulling him closer. She was purring again, without him stimulating her neck and he was very aware of the way he could feel the purrs where they connected.

He kissed her, kept their lips joined as much as possible. She swallowed his groans, kissing him like she never had before. Such passion, longing and love. Her fingers wove into his hair, tethering his head to hers as he supported his weight on his palms, and he smiled at her subconscious, or maybe it was conscious, manipulation of the spots behind his ears. It was as though she was trying to coax him to completion.

He was becoming too breathless to kiss her properly, too much occurring down below to concentrate, his thrusts more powerful now, so they just stared into each other's eyes, panting breaths fanned against faces. Her breasts bounced against his chest, hands clutched and coaxed, a sense of urgency.

Its powerful, this need for release which was building inside him. Gathering and swelling, greater than anything he'd felt before. He pushed himself, striving for it, hoping he'd take her with him but also knowing he couldn't last much longer. Only so much he could take this first time. "Star," he panted, hips constantly moving, not able to stop the tide. "I can't—"

She nodded, her face flushed. "I know." Her hips flexed, her knees pulled him in and she contracted something inside, squeezed against him and that was it.

All restraint gone, flood gates open and more pleasure than he'd ever dreamt was possible. He lost his rhythm, so focused on the euphoria running through him that he forgot to breathe, or move, or do anything else but jerk against her. With a hoarse cry, the pleasure crested and he came, pushing deep and hard one last time before he collapsed against her neck and panted. Starfire's hands petted at him as he calmed down, long strokes against his back as she cuddled, her purrs still vibrating through them both.

Breath caught, he kissed her neck, her cheek, her nose, as he raised his head to look at her. "Wow."

Starfire giggled and squirmed. "You are heavy."

"Sorry," he mumbled and flopped sideways. "Better?"

"Hmm," she crooned, following him onto her side so she can throw her leg over his hip. "Yes."

"Are you okay?"

She nodded. "That was most enjoyable," she purred. "Can we do it again?"

Robin laughed. "I love you, Koriand'r."

"I love you too, Dick." She looked eager. "Can we try again?"

"Why so eager?"

"It was feeling most enjoyable toward the end. I wish to try again."

"Really?" he asked, happy for her.

"Yes."

"Then later, we'll do it again," he promised. "Us humans need time to recover. And there's something I need to do first."

She looked intrigued. "What?"

"I need to throw you in the water."

She blinked, but he'd already bounced to his feet and picked her up, charging full pelt back into the cool water of the pool, happy and content and thoroughly in love with the squealing woman he carried.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's note:<strong>_

_Well, thats all the bases! Hope you enjoyed it!_

_Thanks for reading. Don't forget to enter Grayson's competition, or at least check out all the entries posted so far! There's a community where they're all located.  
><em>

_Cheers_

_Kry_

_Anon - They discussed birth control in Chapter Four. They've been sensible and discussed everything else, do you really think I'd miss something as important as birth control?  
><em>


End file.
